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MAURITANIA
Desert Train: an epic
of iron and endless
horizons
Getting on the Desert Train is not just a jour-
ney—it’s throwing yourself into one of the tou-
ghest and most authentic trips in the world. This
iron colossus, which can reach up to 2.5 kilo-
metres in length, crosses Mauritania from east
to west, transporting iron ore from the mines of
Zouérat to the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou. It
was not designed for passengers, but that hasn’t
stopped those who want to experience the de-
sert from within.
The starting point is usually Choum, a station
lost in the middle of nowhere. From there, you
climb straight into a freight wagon—no seats,
no cabins, no comforts. Just iron, sand, and sky.
Nothing else. Travelling in one of these open wa-
gons means facing the dry wind, the dust that
seeps into your skin, and a silence broken only
by the screech of metal on rails. At night, the train
moves beneath a sky that feels like a bottomless
dome. Sleeping there, wrapped in blankets and
stars, is something you never forget.
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